How to have a successful New Year's Eve party.
Once you decide what to serve, it's easy to have a New Year's Eve party. Invite a small group of friends, prepare some make-ahead food for the buffet, add a few cocktails, party hats and a big clock and you're ready for a festive night. Unless you're having a small sit-down dinner party, which is another good option for this holiday, a buffet will make your life easier, giving the host a chance to enjoy the party too.
New Year's Eve is a long night, and an occasion where lots of people drink who normally don't. Take that into account and have plenty of food offerings. This is not a night to put out peanuts only. Sick guests sleeping on the living room floor is not a pretty way to start the New Year. Feed them, offer them non-alcoholic beverages and when you've had enough, put out coffee, the universal signal that the host is ready for bed.
The Buffet
For the buffet, select one meat, one seafood, a veggie plate, fruit salad, cheese & crackers, bread and condiments. You could also order a sushi platter, which is a great, sophisticated addition and one thing you don't have to prepare yourself.
Meat options
A pork or beef tenderloin are both favorites, easy to cook, and boneless, making service a breeze. They can also be cooked ahead, refrigerated, sliced and served cold. Pork tenderloins come pre-marinated, but you could make your own simple marinade for either meat by letting it sit overnight in a mixture of olive oil, teriyaki glaze, salt, pepper and garlic. Roast next day about 20 minutes per pound, let rest, then slice and cool. Serve with a purchased sauce on the side.
Seafood
Shrimp is another universal favorite. Boil until just pink, drain and toss with Old Bay or other spice seafood seasoning. Chill. Serve with cocktail sauce. You could also serve smoked salmon.
Veggies
Buy as many cleaned and prepared vegetables as you can at the market, saving prep time. Although you could serve these raw, the most elegant, and tasty, way to serve vegetables is to parboil first. Drop in boiling water about two minutes, remove from boiling water and dunk in ice water to stop cooking process, then strain and chill. Select a bottled dressing to serve with.
Fruit
It's amazing how many people who wouldn't touch a whole apple will devour a bowl of fruit once it's cut up. Buy at least six different kinds of fruit, clean, shop and mix in a pretty bowl. Squeeze a little lemon juice to keep fruit from browning and serve. No sauce or sugar necessary.
Bread, Crackers, Cheese
Rolls are a good choice so that people can make sandwiches easily. Serve a variety of crackers, including several whole grain types. There are millions of cheeses. It's hard to go wrong there. Just choose a mix of hard, creamy, sharp and mild. Don't forget a nice cutting board, knives and spreaders.
Relax & Enjoy
Give yourself plenty of time to have a few moments to yourself before guests arrive. Nothing kills a party more than a tired host. Happy New Year!
